US5878469A - Belt buckle for a seat belt - Google Patents

Belt buckle for a seat belt Download PDF

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Publication number
US5878469A
US5878469A US08/958,720 US95872097A US5878469A US 5878469 A US5878469 A US 5878469A US 95872097 A US95872097 A US 95872097A US 5878469 A US5878469 A US 5878469A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
projection
buckle
elongated plate
belt buckle
side edges
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US08/958,720
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English (en)
Inventor
Franz Wier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Original Assignee
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH filed Critical TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Assigned to TRW OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS GMBH reassignment TRW OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS GMBH ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WIER, FRANZ
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Publication of US5878469A publication Critical patent/US5878469A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
    • A44B11/00—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts
    • A44B11/25—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts with two or more separable parts
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
    • A44B11/00—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts
    • A44B11/25—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts with two or more separable parts
    • A44B11/2503—Safety buckles
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
    • Y10T24/45—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
    • Y10T24/45225—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock] including member having distinct formations and mating member selectively interlocking therewith
    • Y10T24/45602—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity
    • Y10T24/45623—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity and operator therefor
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
    • Y10T24/45—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
    • Y10T24/45225—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock] including member having distinct formations and mating member selectively interlocking therewith
    • Y10T24/45602—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity
    • Y10T24/45775—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity having resiliently biased interlocking component or segment
    • Y10T24/45785—Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a belt buckle for a seat belt and to a stamping for producing a frame for a belt bucke according to the invention.
  • the load-bearing frame of known belt buckles consists usually of a sheet metal stamping which is bent about a middle axis to the extent that an upper part and lower part materialize which, although roughly parallel to each other, are spaced from each other. It is usually the case that spacers are provided on the upper part and lower part, which are intended to prevent the parts from having insufficient spacing from each other.
  • the bent stamping is subsequently tempered. During tempering, the frame spreads apart, and the spacing between upper part and lower part becomes greater at the free ends thereof. This spacing may become so large that the frame is no longer suitable for installing in a belt buckle, and a reject is the result. Such rejects need to be separated out in due time from fully automatic feeding of component parts for assembly.
  • belt buckle frames or bent stampings are known, the upper and the lower part of which are attached to each other by rivets in order to avoid the frame from spreading apart.
  • providing an attachment by rivets is cost-intensive.
  • the invention provides a belt buckle having a frame, in the manufacture of which the risk of producing frames excessively spread apart can be practically excluded, thus making production of the belt buckle all-in-all more cost-effective.
  • the belt buckle according to the invention for a seat belt connected to a fitting part having an insert tongue includes a load-bearing frame comprising an upper part and a lower part substantially parallel thereto, between which an insert tongue of the fitting part can be received and which are formed by bending of an elongated plate-type part.
  • the upper and the lower parts each having a free end and side edges and being interlocked with each other in the region of their free ends by at least one portion of one of the upper part and the lower part being bent around an adjoining portion of the corresponding other part at each of the two side edges.
  • the spacing between the upper part and the lower part becomes larger during heat treatment.
  • the upper part or the lower part may be bent around the corresponding other part along the entire side edge, it is, however, already sufficient when only one portion of the upper part or lower part is bent around an adjoining portion of the corresponding other part in order to define the spacing.
  • a laterally protruding first projection serves to connect the upper part to the lower part.
  • the first projection may be bent U-shaped around a second projection which slightly protrudes laterally from the other part.
  • This second projection simultaneously serves in the case of the preferred embodiment as a spacer between the upper part and the lower part by it being angled towards the opposite part.
  • Fixing the upper part and the lower part to each other may be achieved by providing a first projection an one side edge of the upper part and a first projection at the opposite side edge of the lower part.
  • the corresponding stamping preferably includes the stamped blanks of several frames which are connected to each other via the projections serving as bridging elements. One projection between adjacent blanks is parted in the vicinity of the one blank, and another projection is parted in the vicinity of the other blank so that the first and second projections can be formed on one side edge.
  • the space between the adjacent blanks may be kept very small which makes production of a frame even more cost-effective.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a part of a stamping showing two contiguous blanks for frames which may be installed in a belt buckle in accordance with a first embodiment
  • FIG. 2 is a view of the upper front face of the belt buckle in accordance with the first embodiment, in which the frame is highlighted;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view corresponding to that of FIG. 1 of a stamping for a belt buckle in accordance with a second embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a view of the upper face of the belt buckle in accordance with the second embodiment with the frame highlighted;
  • FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of the belt buckle in accordance with FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a plan view of a section of a stamping which substantially corresponds to that shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 7 to 9 are views of a further embodiment, substantially corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.
  • FIG. 1 a part of a stamping 1 having two contiguous stamped blanks for load-bearing frames 3, 3' is shown, of which one is installed in the belt buckle 5 shown in FIG. 2.
  • Each blank has an elongated, plate-shaped form with several recessed and several depressed and raised regions which, however, are not commented on in more detail in the following.
  • the blanks of the frames 3 are connected to each other at their upper and lower ends by bridging elements 7, 9.
  • the bridging element 7 is parted in the middle of the region identified by 11, so that at each frame 3, 3' a first projection 13, 13' is formed.
  • stamped out of the bridging element 9 from the middle thereof is an intermediate piece 15 so that each of the frames 3, 3' features a second projection 17, 17' which, in comparison to the first projection 13, 13', protrudes laterally to a lesser extent.
  • the projections 13, 13' and 17, 17' are equispaced from a middle axis 19 so that the projections 13, 17 and 13' and 17' are disposed one above the other after bending the blank about the middle axis 19.
  • the halves resulting from bending the blanks form an upper part 21 and a lower part 23 which are roughly parallel to each other but spaced from each other and connected by a web 25 recessed centrally. Due to the recess, an insertion opening 31 for the insert tongue of a fitting part materializes, the insert tongue being able to be received between the upper and the lower parts 21, 23.
  • the second projections 17 for defining the spacing between the upper and the lower parts 21, 23 are angled towards the lower part 23, and the first projections 13 are angled towards the upper part 21 so that they abut each other. Furthermore, the first projections 13 protruding laterally to a greater extent are bent around the second projections 17 (cf. FIG. 2) so that they clasp the second projections 17 in an interfitting manner.
  • the spacing between the upper and lower parts 21, 23 is thus always constant. Even heat treatment after bending of the stamping 3, e.g. in the form of a tempering treatment, does not alter this spacing so that the number of frames lacking dimensional accuracy by having an excessive spacing between the upper and lower parts 21, 23 can be maintained very small.
  • the frame 3 is fitted in a buckle housing 33 after bending and the corresponding bending-around of the projections 13, 17 as well as subsequent heat treatment.
  • Recesses 31 disposed one above the other (cf. also FIG. 5) in the upper and lower parts 21, 23 serve for riveting the belt buckle 5 to a fastener fitting (not shown).
  • the second embodiment of a stamping 1' shown in FIG. 3 differs from that shown in FIG. 1 by the bridging elements 7, 9 not being halved but by parting the bridging element 7 close to the frame 3' and the bridging element 9 close to the frame 3, as is symbolized by circles 35 indicating cutting or stamping dies.
  • the upper part 21 features the projection 13 protruding laterally to a greater extent and the lower part 23 features the projection 17 protruding laterally to a small extent.
  • FIG. 6 features, instead of the recesses 31 provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a large oblong opening 31' in each upper and lower part 21, 23, which in the case of the bent stamping are arranged one above the other.
  • the openings 31' allow to secure the belt buckle to the vehicle via a belt webbing or via one or more cables.
  • FIGS. 7 to 9 substantially correspond to the embodiments shown in corresponding views in FIGS. 3 to 5.
  • openings 31 for securing the belt buckle to a fitting instead of four openings 31 for securing the belt buckle to a fitting, only two oblong openings 31' are provided through which in the case of this belt buckle too, a belt webbing or a cable can be drawn for attaching the buckle to the vehicle.
  • the laterally protruding projects 13, 13', 17, 17' provided for fastening the upper part 21 to the lower part 23 may always be arranged at the same position, the same applying to the projections serving as spacers.
  • the upper parts and lower parts of all stampings shown may be connnected by the same assembly means and incorporated in the same buckle housing so that a module system materializes in which substantially standardized single parts may be differently combined with each other.

Landscapes

  • Automotive Seat Belt Assembly (AREA)
  • Buckles (AREA)
  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
US08/958,720 1996-10-23 1997-10-23 Belt buckle for a seat belt Expired - Lifetime US5878469A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE29618509U 1996-10-23
DE29618509U DE29618509U1 (de) 1996-10-23 1996-10-23 Gurtschloß für einen Sicherheitsgurt

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US5878469A true US5878469A (en) 1999-03-09

Family

ID=8031010

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US08/958,720 Expired - Lifetime US5878469A (en) 1996-10-23 1997-10-23 Belt buckle for a seat belt

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5878469A (ko)
EP (1) EP0838173B1 (ko)
JP (1) JPH10127310A (ko)
KR (1) KR19980033006A (ko)
DE (2) DE29618509U1 (ko)
ES (1) ES2117612T3 (ko)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6360409B1 (en) * 1997-01-24 2002-03-26 Trw Occupant Restraint Systems Gmbh Load-bearing frame of metal for a vehicle seat belt buckle
US20080007041A1 (en) * 2006-07-04 2008-01-10 Novarace S.R.L. Locking device for restraint belts, particularly for motor vehicle safety seats for children
WO2017059437A1 (en) * 2015-10-02 2017-04-06 Shield Restraint Systems, Inc. Load indicators for personal restraint systems and associated systems and methods
WO2019211490A1 (de) 2018-05-04 2019-11-07 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Modulares kabelverarbeitungscenter
DE102021101497A1 (de) 2020-10-14 2022-04-14 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Kabelverarbeitungscenter
WO2022079215A1 (de) 2020-10-14 2022-04-21 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Kabelverarbeitungscenter

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100437701B1 (ko) * 2002-02-08 2004-06-30 강진희 버클
KR100437703B1 (ko) * 2002-02-08 2004-06-30 강진희 버클
KR20030067443A (ko) * 2002-02-08 2003-08-14 강진희 버클
KR20030067295A (ko) * 2002-02-08 2003-08-14 강진희 버클

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3716895A (en) * 1971-10-27 1973-02-20 Allied Chem Unitary seat belt buckle
US4377888A (en) * 1979-12-19 1983-03-29 Nsk-Warner K. K. Buckle of a seat belt for a vehicle
US4566160A (en) * 1981-04-13 1986-01-28 Irvin Industries, Inc. End release inverse clevis buckle
US4625371A (en) * 1984-11-22 1986-12-02 Nsk-Warner K.K. Seat belt buckle
US4945617A (en) * 1989-03-20 1990-08-07 General Motors Corporation Seat belt buckle
US5438492A (en) * 1993-03-26 1995-08-01 Alliedsignal Inc. End release seat belt buckle

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2557234C3 (de) * 1975-12-19 1979-09-06 Carl-Juergen 5760 Arnsberg Schroth Verschlußschnalle für Sicherheitsgurte
DE3331435C2 (de) * 1983-08-31 1985-10-31 TRW Repa GmbH, 7071 Alfdorf Aus Drucktaste und Funktionsteil bestehende Baugruppe für einen Sicherheitsgurtverschluß
US5067212A (en) * 1990-08-27 1991-11-26 Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc. Seat belt buckle
EP0590207B1 (en) * 1992-09-28 1997-12-10 TARMO CO. Ltd. Fastener
JPH06217807A (ja) * 1993-01-26 1994-08-09 Takata Kk 自動バックル装置
US5377393A (en) * 1993-09-03 1995-01-03 Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc. Seat belt buckle

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3716895A (en) * 1971-10-27 1973-02-20 Allied Chem Unitary seat belt buckle
US4377888A (en) * 1979-12-19 1983-03-29 Nsk-Warner K. K. Buckle of a seat belt for a vehicle
US4566160A (en) * 1981-04-13 1986-01-28 Irvin Industries, Inc. End release inverse clevis buckle
US4625371A (en) * 1984-11-22 1986-12-02 Nsk-Warner K.K. Seat belt buckle
US4945617A (en) * 1989-03-20 1990-08-07 General Motors Corporation Seat belt buckle
US5438492A (en) * 1993-03-26 1995-08-01 Alliedsignal Inc. End release seat belt buckle

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6360409B1 (en) * 1997-01-24 2002-03-26 Trw Occupant Restraint Systems Gmbh Load-bearing frame of metal for a vehicle seat belt buckle
US20080007041A1 (en) * 2006-07-04 2008-01-10 Novarace S.R.L. Locking device for restraint belts, particularly for motor vehicle safety seats for children
WO2017059437A1 (en) * 2015-10-02 2017-04-06 Shield Restraint Systems, Inc. Load indicators for personal restraint systems and associated systems and methods
US10086795B2 (en) 2015-10-02 2018-10-02 Shield Restraint Systems, Inc. Load indicators for personal restraint systems and associated systems and methods
WO2019211490A1 (de) 2018-05-04 2019-11-07 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Modulares kabelverarbeitungscenter
US11953876B2 (en) 2018-05-04 2024-04-09 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Modular wire processing center
DE102021101497A1 (de) 2020-10-14 2022-04-14 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Kabelverarbeitungscenter
WO2022079215A1 (de) 2020-10-14 2022-04-21 Zoller & Fröhlich GmbH Kabelverarbeitungscenter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH10127310A (ja) 1998-05-19
ES2117612T3 (es) 2003-02-01
DE59707680D1 (de) 2002-08-14
EP0838173B1 (de) 2002-07-10
EP0838173A2 (de) 1998-04-29
ES2117612T1 (es) 1998-08-16
KR19980033006A (ko) 1998-07-25
EP0838173A3 (de) 1999-01-07
DE29618509U1 (de) 1997-02-20

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